Automatic cylinder drain-valve.



Patented Oc-t. I5, 190i.

E. ROWE. AUTOMATIC CYLINDER DRAIN VALVE.

(Application filed June 4, 1901;)

(No Model.)

NlTED @TATES ATFNT rrrcn,

EDl VARD ROIVE, OF INDIANA, PENNSYLVANIA.

AUTOMATIC CYLINDER DRAlN VALVE.

EPEGEFIGATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 684,723, dated October 5, 1901.

Application filed June 4, 1901. Serial No. 63,066. (No model.)

To aZZ whom it may concern.-

Be it known that l, EDWARD ROWE, a citizen of the United States, residing at Indiana, in the county of Indiana and .State of Pennsylvania, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Automatic Cylinder Drain- Valves, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to an improvement in cylinder drain-valves; and its principal advantages are neatness, compactness, and positive action. It is of such construction that it enables both ends of the cylinder to be held open when starting and automatically opens a drain to both ends of the cylinder when the engine is stopped.

With the foregoing objects and advantages in view my invention consists in a pair of swinging valves, valve-seats, incasing shell, and valve-stems, the valves so set as to swing open by gravity when not in use, and in certain other novel features of construction and combinations of partswhich will be hereinafter described, and pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a vertical section. Fig. 2 is an end elevation, partly in section; and Figs. 3, 4, and 5 are detail views of one of the valves.

My improved automatic cylinder drain- Valve is intended, as the name implies, to automatically drain the cylinders of steam-engines, pumps, and other similar machinery of the Water of condensation, priming, foaming, 50., and in appearance this valve resembles an ordinary T or three-way globe-valve.

A represents the shell or case of the valve, which is made of brass or any suitable metal for the purpose. This case A is provided with three internally-screw-threaded outlets B, 13 and B and at or near the center of the shell or case the two vertical valve-seats C and (3 are provided, they being parallel with or opposite each other. There is also provided a vertically disposed narrowed outlet I) in communication with the space be tween the valve-seats as well as with the screw-threaded outlet B A threaded hole H opens from the top of the shell or case into this space between the valve-seats and a valve stem I, which is threaded to fit the threads of the hole H, wherein the valve-stem is screwed in or out. The screw-stem is tapered or conical at its lower end, as at t, and its upper end is provided with an ordinary handwheel J. The valve-stem I may also be provided with a stufing-box for packing it, if found necessary.

Two swinging valves E E are suspended by means of hangers E E respectively, from lugs in the dome of the shell or case by means of screws F. These valves are made to swing back and forth freely in action, each coming in contact with its valve-seat O or W, as the case may be, when standing vertically, an example of which is shown at the right-hand side of Fig. 1. Each valve is provided on its lower or inner side with a bit or buffer G, which may be cast or made integral therewith, thereby becoming a part of it. Preferably this bit or buffer is flat horizontally, as indicated in Fig. 4:, and rounded or nosed at its outer end, as shown in Figs. 1 and 3, and of such a length that in being forced to its seat by the pressure of the stem the buffer of one valve strikes that of the other and displaces said latter valve or forces it open, as

indicated at the left-hand side of Fig. 1. The

valve is secured to the hanger by means of the threaded stem g, which passes through a hole in the hanger, and a nut g screwed thereon for clamping it securely in place, and as a provision to enable the valve to be ground when necessary a cut or slit g is formed in the outer end of each of these stems g to receive a screw-driver or similar implement for turning the valve until it is suitably ground.

In application the valve case or shell is located beside or below the cylinder of the engine, steam-pump, or like apparatus, and a pipe from each end of the cylinder is connected with the outlets B and B When the engine is not running, both valves, owing to the line of the center of gravity being some distance away from the valve-seats, which is also assisted by the weights of the buffers, hang open, or, in other words,when not otherwise hindered both valves are normally un= seated. This is true also when the engine is stopped or before starting, as the screw valvestem should be run down several turns, bringing its tapering or conical end '5 between the buffers, thus holding both valves open and allowing a free escape of water from both ends of the cylinder.

When the engine shall have been running a few minutes, this valve -stem I may be raised, and the valves will begin their regular alternate and automatic action. As the steam-pressure is admitted to the ends of the cylinder alternately the swinging valve at that end will be forced to its seat, the other valve being held open during the return stroke of the piston, thus preventing the es cape of live steam and always providing a drain for the exhaust end of the cylinder through the central outlet D Having fully set forth and described my invention, What I now claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. The combination with a valve case or shell having two seats formed therein, of a pair of depending valves adapted to swing in the shell or case and having buffers projecting toward each other, said buffers together being of greater length than the distance between the valve-seats and adapted the one to strike and displace the other alternately, accordingly as pressure is upon the outer face of one valve or the other.

2. The combination of two swinging valves, valve-seats, shell, butters on the valves for displacing one valve when the other valve is seated and a valve-stein adapted to enter between the swinging valves to hold them both open.

3. The combination with a valve shell or case having vertically-disposed valve-seats formed therein and located parallel or approximately parallel with each other, of a pair of swinging Valves pivoted at the dome of the shell or case in position to engage the seats by an inward-swinging movement resulting from external pressure thereon, and inwardly-projecting bits or buffers of such length as to always cause the displacement of one valve when the other valve becomes seated.

4:. The combination with a shell or case having a pair of valve-seats therein, of swinging valves for closing said seats and means extending from one valve in the direction of the other for insuring the displacement of one valve when the other valve is seated.

5. The combination with ashell or case having valve-seats therein, of swinging valves for engaging said seats, the stems of said valves disposed outwardly in position to be accessible to and receive an instrument for turning them whereby to grind the valves.

6. The combination with a valve case or shell having a pair of seats formed therein, of a pair of depending swinging valves and a Valve stein arranged to screw in and out through a hole located centrally between the valve-seats whereby when screwed inwardly, it holds both valves from their seats.

7. The combination with a valve shell or case having a pair of seats formed therein, of depending swinging valves for engaging said seats, said valves having inwardly-projecting buffers and a valve-stem tapered or conical at its inner end for engaging between said buffers to hold the two valves open or displaced from their seats.

8. The combination with a valve shell or case having seats therein, of hangers pivotally-suspended from the dome of the shell or case and valves having threaded stems which extend through holes in the hangers and receive means thereon for securing them to the hangers.

9. The combination with a valve shell or case having seats therein, of hangers pivotally suspended from the dome of the shell or case, valves having threaded stems which extend through holes in the hangers and receive means thereon for securing them to the hangers, said valves each having a fiat horizontally-disposed bufier projecting from the inner face, the extreme inner end thereof being rounded.

10. The combination with a valve shell or case having seats therein, of hangers pivotally suspended from the dome of the shell or case, valves having threaded stems which extend through holes in the hangers and receive means thereon for securing them to the hangers, said stems having a cross cut or slit in their extreme outer ends to receive an instrument for turning the valves in the hangers to grind the valves.

In testimony whereof I have signed this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

EDWARD ROWE.

Witnesses:

LAURENCE OHARA, CHAs. DODSON. 

